To say Disney has a massive impact on the animation world is an understatement. From their first fully animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, to the movies we can’t stop talking about, such as Encanto and the upcoming Strange World, Disney and animated films go hand in hand like pineapple and Dole Whip. And while the industry has now turned to the more modern computer-generated 3D approach to animation, the studio is heading back to its 2D roots with its new Disney+ documentary series Sketchbook.
Disney animated-film fans have, at one point in their lives, tried to draw their favorite character by hand. Some with success. Some not. Sketchbook, however, shows that you don’t need to be a great artist to recreate these characters. All you need is some paper and pencils. The best part? It is the Disney animators themselves who are showing you step by step how it is done.
Be Their Guest
The featured animators in this season include story artist Gabby Capili (Encanto) drawing Kuzco from The Emperor’s New Groove, supervising animator Hyun Min Lee drawing Olaf from Frozen, and 2D animator-director Eric Goldberg drawing the Genie from Aladdin. Also featured are visual development artist Jin Kim drawing Captain Hook from Peter Pan, story artist Samantha Vilfort drawing Mirabel from Encanto, and 2D animator Mark Henn drawing Simba from The Lion King. Alongside these “sketch lessons,” the artists reveal why they chose the specific character they are drawing and their journey to be part of the Disney animation legacy.
And that is what makes Sketchbook so special. According to its executive producer Jason Sterman, “It starts with the artists conveying you can do this [drawing], and through it, they reveal things about themselves that are unique and universal at the same time. Our job was to present it in a way that never lets the audience detach the artist from the art.”
In addition to learning about how a beloved animated character is drawn, Goldberg hopes audience members will also see the intricacies involved in bringing them to life. ‘I think people like finding out about people who are associated with the things that they love and the fact that this medium is so collaborative,” he explained. “It wasn’t just me doing The Genie. Some of it was the script, some of it was Robin’s riff, and some of it was visual invention that we came up with. The energy of Robin and where he would go with lines challenged us and gave us license to be creative in how we conveyed that energy. It’s so rewarding, too, because you get to understand those personal signatures that those artists bring to the characters. And, in animation, it’s more than drawing, it’s about timing and spacing, and how they move.”
Don’t Give Up
One thing that stands out throughout the series is the theme of perseverance. Lee, Capili, and Kim share stories of obstacles they’ve had to overcome not only because they were minorities but also having the courage to pursue the artistic path despite objections from family and even the industry itself. This is one reason why Capili participated in Sketchbook. “I wanted to be able to tell kids that you can do it,” she said. “Don’t stand in your own way, and don’t count yourself out.”
Lee echos this sentiment. She also hopes the series will spark the minds of other budding future animators saying, “There’s definitely going to be the children like me who see art and animation and are like, I have to be part of this. I have no idea how it’s made, but I NEED to know now.”
So grab some paper and pencils and get ready to draw! Sketchbook premieres on Wednesday, April 27, 2022, exclusively on Disney+.
